GREENSBORO, N.C. – Host Guilford College made a big halftime lead stand up in an 85-75 ODAC men's basketball victory over Shenandoah Saturday afternoon.

The Quakers (11-4, 4-2 ODAC) jumped out to a 20-point halftime lead and then had to hold on as Shenandoah (1-14, 0-6) made a valiant comeback attempt in the second.

Trailing 42-22 at the break thanks to an Eli McEathron 3-pointer to close out the first half scoring, SU scored 11 of the initial 13 points of the second stanza to give itself a chance.

GC answered and eventually extended its advantage out to 17 points on two occasions, the second with 12:16 to play, before the Hornets made a significant dent in the remaining deficit.

A 7-3 run from the 4:39 to 3:50 marks cut that deficit to seven, and after the Quakers went back up 10, a McEathron '3' followed by an Aaron Patterson layup made the score 76-71 in favor of the hosts with 76 seconds remaining.

Guilford then clinched the win by hitting 7 of 9 from the line in addition to a field goal in that final 1:16.

GC converted its six free throws in that run.

Xavier Alston and Malcolm Clark paced Shenandoah with 16 and 14 points, respectively, while Patterson and McEathron had 13 points each.

Matt McCarthy had a game-high 27 points for the victors.

GC had a 42-33 advantage on the glass that led to an 18-6 bulge in second chance points.

The Hornets shot 52 percent for the game, including 67 percent (20 for 30) in the second half.

Coach Rob Pryor's squad hosts Bridgewater on Wednesday in a 7 p.m.  ODAC contest.

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